Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Working Hours

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with EU member states about their enforcement of the Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment) Regulations 2020, and in particular cases where foreign operatorsare found to be exceeding drivers’ hours limits in the UK.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK and EU have agreed provisions for the enforcement of drivers’ hours and tachographs within the UK/EU trade and co-operation agreement (TCA). The 2020 Regulations therefore provide for the enforcement in the UK of drivers’ hours and tachographs for those international journeys carried out under the (TCA). The UK remains an active member of Euro Control Route (ECR) and the Confederation of Organisations in Road Transport Enforcement (CORTE), both of which are concerned with co-operation in this technical area. Both organisations help DVSA to maintain valuable contacts with most EU Member States, and communicate regarding drivers’ hours and many other traffic enforcement issues.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many consultancy contracts relating to HS2 of over £5 million have been agreed since 2010; and to deposit the details of each such contract, including (1) the supplier, (2) a description of services, and (3) the spend to date, in the House of Lords library.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As HS2 Ltd do not categorise consultancy spend within their contracts this information is not easily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost. As part of the Government’s transparency agenda, a full list of awarded contract opportunities is available on HS2 Ltd’s website

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Scotland

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the planning assumptions for bringing into service high-speed train connections to the HS2 route from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The current plans for HS2 Phases One and 2a will see Glasgow connected to the high-speed rail network between 2029 and 2033. Journey times between Glasgow and London will fall by 45 minutes from 4hrs 30min at present to 3hrs 45min. On completion of HS2 Phase 2b, Edinburgh will become connected to the high-speed rail network, reducing journey times to London from the current 4hrs 19mins to 3hrs 48min. New high-speed rail infrastructure is planned from London to Manchester via Birmingham and Crewe. Classic-compatible high-speed trains running to Scotland will connect to the West Coast Mainline (WCML) in north-west England and these will use the existing conventional rail network to serve both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

EGNOS

Lord Davies of Gower: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service will have on the ability of light aviation to make precision approaches to UK airports.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s assessment is that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) means that as of 25 June 2021, airspace users will not be able to benefit from “localizer performance with vertical guidance” (LPV) procedures which offer 3-dimensional precision approaches. Where promulgated, airspace users will continue to be able to use lateral navigation (LNAV) procedures which offer 2-dimensional non-precision approaches. The Government continues to explore options for mitigating the loss of the LPV capability. The UK Government did seek to retain the use of EGNOS, but it was not possible to reach a satisfactory settlement with the EU in the 24 December 2020 agreement.

Eurostar: Finance

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide financial support to Eurostar; and if they have any such plans, whether they will require Eurostar to make any surplus rolling stock available to other operators.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Ministers and officials, working with other Government Departments, have engaged very regularly with Eurostar since March 2020 in relation to their financial situation. The Department continues to work closely with Eurostar to consider all commercial financing options available to the company, which include drawing on existing support schemes where eligible and appropriate. We will also continue to discuss Eurostar’s financial situation with the French Government.With regards to reallocation of surplus rolling stock, any such decision would be dependent on commercial demand, of which there is currently little or none for international services.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Canterbury

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Canterbury urban extension on air pollution levels; and what affect the categorisation of Canterbury as an air quality management area has had on their decision on whether to call-in the planning application of the Canterbury urban extension.

Lord Greenhalgh: In December 2016, the Secretary of State declined to call in this application for his own determination. Following the categorisation of Canterbury as an air quality management area, he received requests to reconsider that decision. These requests were carefully considered having regard to his policy on calling in planning applications. The Secretary of State decided that his original decision, not to call in this application, should stand, and that the application should remain to be determined by the local planning authority.

Planning Permission: Air Pollution

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they give to air pollution levels when making ministerial decisions on whether to call-in a planning application.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of air pollution resulting from the Canterbury urban extension on morbidity rates.

Lord Greenhalgh: Decisions on calling in applications are made in line with published call-in policy as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively. Air pollution levels are a potential consideration when considering whether to call in an application.

Local Government: Meetings

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow local authorities to hold public meetings remotely after the 6 May local elections.

Lord Greenhalgh: To extend the facility for councils to continue to meet remotely, or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation.There is no option to extend the current regulations under the Coronavirus Act 2020 as section 78 (3) contains the sunset date of 7 May 2021.There is considerable pressure on the Government’s legislative programme, but the Government is carefully considering next steps in this area.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households have been made homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic;and what additional support they have offered to those households, in particular to families, which have been made homeless as a result of the pandemic.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is clear that no one should be without a roof over their head.The Government is spending over £700 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this financial year, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to end rough sleeping and fully enforce the Homelessness Reduction Act. This includes £263 million to local authorities to fulfil their statutory homelessness duties which includes activity to prevent homelessness and providing temporary accommodation for those who are in priority need, unintentionally homeless and eligible for assistance.In addition, the Government has taken significant action to keep people in their homes. Landlords are required to provide 6-months' notice before seeking repossession except in the most serious cases such as anti-social behaviour, fraud and egregious rent arrears. This means that most renters served notice today will not have to leave until July, with time to find alternative support or accommodation. We have also taken steps in England to ensure bailiffs do not enforce evictions, except in the most serious circumstances. This legislation will be in place until at least to the end of 21 February when it will be reviewed.This is on top of the unprecedented resources already committed to councils since the start of the pandemic, including over £4.6 billion in un-ringfenced grants, the Contain Outbreak Management Fund and additional funding for authorities to support care homes, high streets and the most vulnerable in their communities.Relevant data for the period April – June 2020 can be found (attached) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-april-to-june-2020Homelessness in England statistics - April to June (pdf, 1714.5KB)

Planning Permission: Legal Opinion

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a local planning authority can be required to disclose the details of any legal opinions it has received regarding a planning application to those who may be affected by the planning application; and if so, how the requirement for disclosure can be imposed.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 provide public access to information held by public authorities, subject to any exemptions which may apply. Exemptions include legal professional privilege which is subject to a public interest test.

Planning Permission: Standards

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer byLord Greenhalgh on 19 January (HL11725), why have they notrequired local authorities to include the Nationally Described Space Standard in local planning policies.

Lord Greenhalgh: We agree that ensuring a good standard and quality of internal space is important to achieving well-designed homes for all, as emphasised in our National Design Guide. Space standards are an optional technical standard in our national planning policies and local authorities can choose to adopt them locally, if they can demonstrate need and that there will be no negative impact on viability. As my noble Lord is aware, we announced last year that all new homes in England delivered through any Permitted Development Right must meet this space standard as a minimum. This will apply to proposals from 6 April 2021. Looking to the future, in the forthcoming National Model Design Code we intend to emphasise the ingredients for well-designed homes, including the application of the Nationally Described Space Standard that can be included in local design codes, guides and policies.

Customs: Kent

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what planning permissions have been sought and given for the White Cliffs inland border facility near Dover; what other permissions are (1) needed, (2) have been sought, and (3) have been given; what works have started without any planning permission; what consultation with local residents has taken place; what compensation will be payable to local residents; how long the facility is planned to remain in place; and what assurances they have given about reinstatement of the site at the end of its period of operation.

Lord Greenhalgh: My department has not received any planning application for the use and development of land at White Cliffs, Dover as an Inland Border Facility.I understand that the Department of Transport has stated that it intends to seek approval under the Town and Country Planning (Border Facilities and Infrastructure) (EU Exit) (England) Special Development Order 2020, for a facility in Dover.My department has not received any submission seeking the Secretary of State’s approval to the development and use a specific site in Dover. As my Ministerial colleague will be taking decisions on any site-specific proposals it is not appropriate for me to comment on sites that are or may be the subject of a proposal; we will take decisions without pre-determination and on the basis of the evidence and advice in front of us.I also understand that the Government’s border facing departments have provided a website with information on their plans for delivering inland border facilities, with details of individual proposals and how to comment. The website can be found at: https://inlandborderfacilities.uk/.

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of removing and replacing flammable cladding on all blocks of flats.

Lord Greenhalgh: The information on flammable cladding for all blocks of flats is not held. However, section 11 of the Building Safety Bill: Impact Assessment (attached) estimates the average costs per building for addressing safety remediation in high rise buildings. These estimates consider all necessary remediation, which goes beyond façade remediation.Building safety impact assessment (pdf, 1189.4KB)

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many households live in blocks of flats with flammable cladding.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Department publishes data on the number of dwellings in high-rise social sector residential and private sector residential buildings in England with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations. The latest data is available (attached) at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-december-2020. Building Safety Monthly Data (pdf, 1720.2KB)

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many blocks of flats have flammable cladding other than aluminium composite material; and how many of those blocks are (1) 18 metres or more in height, and (2) below 18 metres in height.

Lord Greenhalgh: For high rise residential buildings over 18 metres, local authorities and housing associations are undergoing a data collection exercise as part of an ongoing programme to build a more complete picture of high-rise residential buildings and the variety of external wall systems in use. We will publish appropriate summary information from the data collection in our monthly Building Safety Programme data release in due course.Data estimating the proportion of high-rise residential buildings in England with little or no cladding can be found (attached) in this release: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-estimates-of-ews1-requirements-on-residential-buildings-in-england/building-safety-programme-estimates-of-ews1-requirements-on-residential-buildings-in-england.This information on buildings below 18 metres is not held.EWS1 requirement (pdf, 232.9KB)

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many blocks of flats have aluminium composite material cladding; and how many of those blocks are (1) 18 metres or more in height, and (2) below 18 metres in height.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Department publishes data on the number of high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings in England with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations. The latest data is available (attached) at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-december-2020.Information on buildings below 18 metres is not held.Building Safety Monthly Data (pdf, 1720.2KB)

Housing: Construction

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Economics Statistics Centre of ExcellenceEstimating the UK population during the pandemic, published on 14 January, what plans they have to adjust their plans for housing provision as a result of population changes following (1) the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the UK’s departure from the EU.

Lord Greenhalgh: Following consultation in August 2020 on proposed changes to the standard method for assessing local housing need, it was apparent that certainty and stability are important for our local communities, local authorities, and developers, especially in light of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In December, we therefore changed the method to focus greater need into authorities containing the largest proportion of the 20 most populated cities and urban centres in England, while other authorities saw no change compared to the previous method.It is not yet clear what impact COVID-19 or our departure from the European Union will have on population estimates, if any. However, while we expect local authorities to plan, for a minimum period of 15 years, they can review their plans for housing during this period and must do so at least once every five years. This enables them to take into account changes in circumstances and to ensure policies remain effective.As with all policies we will monitor the impact of the new standard method, including as any longer-term impact from changes to the way we live and work become clear. Our December announcement enables local areas to get on and plan based on a method and level of ambition that they are familiar with. This ensures that the planning system keeps moving, so it can play its full part in the economic recovery to come.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ethiopia: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the World Food programme about the humanitarianrequirements of people displaced by conflict in Tigray; and what estimate they have made of the number of people who have been so displaced.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is clear that the conflict in Tigray has had significant consequences for hundreds of thousands of people, displacing them internally and externally, and adversely impacting those that were already in need of humanitarian assistance. We are in close contact with UK-funded humanitarian agencies in Ethiopia, including the UN's World Food Programme, to understand humanitarian needs and what programme adaptations are required, as well as monitoring the regional situation. Partners highlight priority needs as food security and nutrition, health and water, shelter and protection. On his visit to Amhara the Foreign Secretary met with staff from the World Food Programme at a logistics centre which serves the response in Tigray. He heard first hand about the challenges of aid delivery in conflict affected areas. In recent days there has been an improvement in delivery of in-kind assistance to Tigray but physical access for humanitarian personnel remains very challenging with some areas effectively out of bounds.The UN estimates that up to 1.3 million additional people affected by the conflict in Tigray need humanitarian assistance, on top of an existing humanitarian caseload of one million people in the region. We are concerned about the impact of the conflict and displacement on food security and nutrition in Tigray. Displaced persons, including refugees, are amongst the most vulnerable

Occupied Territories: Coronavirus

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the government of Israel, and (2) international partners in the World Health Organization (WHO), about makingCOVID-19 vaccines doses available in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before thearrival in March of WHO vaccine supplies.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively. We will continue to raise access to safe COVID-19 vaccines.The UK supports World Health Organisation (WHO) leadership on the COVAX Facility. The UK will continue to liaise with the WHO on timescales for vaccine delivery in the OPTs in our capacity as a major contributor to COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) and as a key international partner to the Palestinian Authority. We understand first vaccine deliveries are anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2021.

Myanmar: Rohingya

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to protect theRohingya community in Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine, including 128,000 who have been confined to camps since 2012. These communities face significant discrimination, including restrictions on freedom of movement and access to healthcare. The Foreign Secretary and Minister Adams both raised the use of discriminatory laws to disenfranchise the Rohingya with Myanmar's government prior to their elections in November 2020. The Prime Minister called State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after the elections and reiterated the UK's concern at the plight faced by the Rohingya. We have urged the Government of Myanmar to comply with the International Court of Justice's provisional measures ruling which would ensure that the Rohingya are protected from further atrocities. The UK has provided over £44 million to all communities in Rakhine since 2017, including over £25 million for the Rohingya. We are the largest donor to water, hygiene and sanitation in the camps and displacement sites.

Cabinet Office

Arts

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish in full the details of the reported offer made by the EUthat would have allowedthe UK's creative artists freedom of movement throughout the EU for up to 90 days; and their reasons for rejecting the EU's offer.

Lord True: In negotiations with the EU, the Government sought a mutually beneficial agreement that would have allowed artists and musicians to continue performing across the continent without the need for work permits. The EU turned down this proposal. The draft legal text published by the EU on their website on 18 March contained proposals regarding visa-free travel. These only covered ad-hoc performances, which were non-binding, and did not address technical staff or the issue of work-permits. These proposals would not have addressed the sector's concerns.This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s world-leading cultural and creative industries. We recently demonstrated that commitment by providing an unprecedented £1.57 billion package of support to help them through the covid-19 pandemic. During the negotiations with the EU, we pushed for ambitious arrangements allowing performers and artists to work across Europe.The Government also recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals, and has engaged extensively with the creative industries and arts sector since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of the new requirements.

Department for International Trade

UK-Africa Investment Summit

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) countries, (2) businesses, and (3) organisations, were represented at the Africa Investment Conference held on 20 January; and whether a recording of that event will be available publicly online.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Africa Investment Conference (AIC) held on 20 January was a virtual business engagement event open to delegates from any country. On the day visitors from 74 countries (including 43 African countries), 1,747 businesses (over 2,800 delegates) and 156 different organisations accessed the AIC online. A recording of all conference sessions was made publicly available via the conference website shortly after the event. This can be accessed through the following link: https://www.events.great.gov.uk/website/3529/on-demand/.

UK-Africa Investment Summit

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what method they intend to use measure the planned increase in UK investment in Africa; and what are the principal means by which they are supporting UK firms to make such investments.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Department for International Trade (DIT) uses published national statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to track investment involving UK companies in other countries, including African countries. We also have an internal monitoring system that tracks business investment activity supported by DIT. DIT provides market access entry advice for UK firms looking to invest in African countries. We have established an online deal platform that matches UK investors with high-growth African businesses, and an Africa Investors Group which comprises some of the largest UK investors in Africa.

Export Credit Guarantees

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in aligning the use of export credits with the UK’s commitments on climate change, including those related to (1) sustainable infrastructure, and (2) renewable energy.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: At the Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December 2020, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will no longer provide any new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, other than in exceptional circumstances, and will align its support to enable clean energy exports. A public consultation was announced at the same time to seek stakeholders’ views on i) how to enable an accelerated growth in UK clean energy exports, and ii) on the impacts of the timing of implementation of the policy shift on international fossil fuel energy sector support. The consultation can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/aligning-uk-international-support-for-the-clean-energy-transition.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tosuspend (1)the granting of armsexport licences, and (2) military support, to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners involved in operations in Yemen.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government takes its export responsibilities seriously and will continue to assess all export licences in accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’). HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law. In addition, HM Government is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require, and this is done in line with the Consolidated Criteria  The United Kingdom has an ongoing defence relationship with Saudi Arabia, including training courses, advice and guidance, which support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to protect its national security. This also supports the Saudi military’s compliance with international humanitarian law.

Women and Equalities

Ethnic Groups: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19 on racial economic equality.

Baroness Berridge: The Government recognises the challenges of COVID-19 for all groups in society, including the most vulnerable. That is why we announced an unprecedented package of support – including boosts to Universal Credit, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Kick-start Scheme – helping to protect incomes, jobs, and support those most in need.HM Treasury’s distributional analysis as of the end of May 2020, shows that these interventions, along with the existing tax and welfare system, have helped reduce income losses faced by working households by up to two-thirds, with the poorest working households protected most (as a proportion of income).The Treasury, along with other relevant departments, carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, including at Budgets and other fiscal events, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness.